If infinite means without an end, is our space or universe infinite?

Question

well??

Answer 1

There is not an infinite amount of matter in the universe. Otherwise there would be infinite gravity, and the big bang would never have been able to expand the universe to this size; we would all have been swallowed up by a universal black hole.

Neither is there an infinite amount of energy in the universe. Most of the sky is dark, where if there was an infinite amount of energy, the sky would be blindingly bright all the time.

The only way we can measure space is by measuring the distance between objects, like particles. Suppose we fly out in space and leave the entire universe behind. We go as far as we can go, until the entire universe is just a dim little speck in our rear-view mirror. What is the distance between us and the rest of the universe? We could measure it, or calculate it. But if we say, how far is it beyond where we are…? Then the question may not be answerable. It may be a meaningless question. If there is nothing else out there, if we could go on forever without finding any other particle of matter or photon of energy, how could we measure or define the distance?

For math equations like integrals where you start at zero and go to infinity, all that means is, “No matter how many times you try it, you’re always going to get the same answer.”

We must be careful when we say things like, “We evolved because there was enough time and raw materials for us to do so.” If a thing is in fact impossible, no amount of believing it will make it possible.

Infinity is a mathematical concept, not a physical quantity.

29 JAN 07, 1858 hrs, GMT.

Answer 2

I think the word "infinite" means more than just without an end. A rubber band doesn't have an end (unless you cut it), but its not infinite.

Sort of in the same way, our universe doesn't have an end. No matter where you are in the universe, you aren't at the "end" or "edge" of the universe. There is always the whole universe around you. But, on the other hand, the universe has a finite size; there are only so many places in it. It can be measured, so it's not infinite.

Answer 3

Infinite doesn't really mean what it literally means when referring to the universe. There is a practical usage that means "without limit, as far as we would ever be concerned."
We know that distant objects recede from us at a higher rate than nearer objects. At the farthest limit, objects are receding at or very near the speed of light. Since we can never see beyond that point, whatever else may be there or not there will never be known by us. So for practical reasons, the universe is "practically infinite."

Answer 4

Infinite doesn't really mean without an end. The universe is finite in size, but has no boundaries. The usual analogy is to an insect crawling on the outside of an expanding balloon. The creature never finds an edge, even though the size is limited.

Answer 5

Wow, you asked one of those weird questions which have no real answer as of this time...

The problem you ask us to answer is like, "where is the end limit of everything?" And we do not know.

Consider for a moment that some Stars and their galaxies are 3 Million Light Years away from us... Please write down
that amount of distance in MILES or in KILOMETERS. Use a
big paper if you need to. Now, since we are here on Earth, and something we "can see" is that far away, how do you propose someone can extend measurements out into nothingness beyond that??? You can only measure and calculate what you can see, not the emptiness beyond... Now, did you really write down the number of miles in 3 Million Light Years? You didn't did you? I challenge you to really do it. Then get the book "ASTRONOMY" by Ian Ridpath, DK Publishing, NY, NY., and read it. Star charts are provided which give the calculated distances to distant galaxies and stars far, far from us. It will take years to absorb all the information that we do know about the Stars and the Universe. Why waste your time pondering the one thing that is really not known of fully understood yet? Just believe that the universe is so vastly immense that it is mind boggling to comprehend. I challenge you to find some way to travel to a large observatory and look into deep outer space one time (if you can get time at the telescope). After that you will never again worry about things you cannot measure, or cannot see the end of.

Remember, early man looked at the ocean and thought that it only existed as far as he could see. Beyond the point he could see, man thought the end of the world just dropped off, like the end of a table top.

Besides, let us get real here... who really cares what is going on 3 - 4 Million Light Years away from us? And the answer to your question is:

"I DUNNO."

3 Million Light Years is
Three Times 5,865,696,000,000 Miles
or
17,597,088,000,000 Miles

Answer 6

The part of the Universe that we can see or know about is finite, and will, at any finite time in the future, remain finite. This is simply a matter of the finite amount of time since the big bang, and the finite speed of light.

The knowable Universe is, however, getting bigger every day, and will continue to get bigger every day for a long time to come.

Beyond the knowable Universe may or may not be an infinite amount of stuff. A "theory of everything", if we ever arrive at one in physics, may allow for a better understanding of this.

Answer 7

Mother nature may of already defined a little smaller what infinite is. When u have a sun collapse and the falling mass that approach the speed of light the mass should go to infinity. It produces in the center of a Galaxy a gravity well that can be 10 to 100 light years across.

Answer 8

No. Our universe is not infinite. It has an end, but there is a vast number of universes beyond ours, so you could say that space is infinite, but not the universe itself.

Answer 9

Yes and no. Our universe is infinite but it's part of an infinite multiverse.